Brokenness
by chele20035
Summary: After Katniss wins the 74th games (Peeta was never reaped)... its thirteen years later when a family tragedy breaks her. Written for Prompts in Panem, spring 2015, day 2, over on Tumblr.


**This was written for Prompts in Panem over on tumblr. **

**As always, thank you to norbertsmom and sohypothetically for all of their encouragement. **

**This is a idea I've been kicking around for a little while. This first part has been written for several months now, and i kind of fell into writing Twisted. But read, and let me know what you think and if you want more... there will be another short prologue if you will that will be posted tomorrow and based on your comments this one or that one will be my next WIP (work in progress). Thank you again everyone who takes a moment to read my little fics. I adore everyone of you! **

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Her heart is broken.

Broken beyond repair. Her silent tears run down her cheeks, making wet spots on the red silk dress that Cinna worked so hard on.

She sniffs, rubbing her nose on her sleeve like Violet does before Prim can wipe her nose. Or did. Prim will never again wipe her daughter's nose. A sob escapes Katniss's lips, and others follow.

No one is there in the last box car with her, save for the Avox who has been assigned to the train. Katniss feels her watching in silence, checking the clock, keeping a silent vigil.

She rests her head against the rain splattered window, enjoying the coolness on her flushed face from her tears. She watches the fields of Panem run by the window.

She must have dozed off, because it's the slightly, squeaky, back brake that she has heard for the past thirteen years that jostles her awake. She looks out the window, and knows that she is back in District Twelve from the dingy grey of the train platform. She feels much older than her twenty-nine years, and when she stands she can feel every wound that she's ever received, both in the arena and out.

The only bag she took with her for this trip to the capital, is her small leather bag. She picks it up and tries to straighten the red silk dress that she wore to the party that was the reason she was in the capital to begin with since the Games ended well over a month ago. Snow also demanded she attend. Katniss slowly heads to the exit, passing the Avox who is still where she was when she went to sleep. The Avox, bravely seeks out her eyes and Katniss gives her a small nod of thanks. Before she can walk past her, the Avox slips a piece of paper in her hand.

Katniss doesn't stop walking out of the train. She knows that the cameras in the last boxcar don't work anymore, thanks to Beetee, but the camera in the hallway that she just entered does. She keeps the note in her hand and when she steps onto the coal dusted platform, she slides it into her purse.

She can still feel the stickiness of the last summer days fading away. It's late September, midafternoon and still hot with the humidity that the mountains are known for. She inhales everything that District Twelve is. The honeysuckle that still winds its way through the countryside, the dirty-earthy smell of the coal, and the aroma of the bakery. She has to stop herself from wanting to claw away the residue of the capital and how it wants to consume everything she is.

"Kitty!"

Katniss sharply turns her head to the sweet little voice that is the only one allowed to call her that. The little one, with Prim's cornflower blue eyes, wears the dress that Cinna sent to her last month when the games ended. It's quite simple according to Capital standards, but the gingham dandelion-yellow smocked dress is a beacon of hope in the dreary district and to Katniss's heart.

Her little footsteps run down the wooden slats, echoing all around them for they are the only ones at the train station. Katniss meets her halfway and sweeps the blonde haired little girl up, holding all that is left in her world that she truly cares about.

"Kitty," the little one says, patting her aunt on the back as she holds her.

Katniss sees the blond baker with the Carolina blue eyes who brought her to meet the train and keeps walking to where he waits. When she catches up to him, he tucks her into his side, and they walk to the end of the platform.

They find their way to Violet's house, well, what is left of it. No one knows how the fire started, but it quickly consumed the wooden house with the help of the coal dust that settled on the boards over the years. The men of the town had quickly put the fire out, but before they were able to get to Prim and her husband, Rye Mellark they were removed by the peacekeepers as soon as they arrived. Katniss is grateful beyond words that Violet had spent the night with Peeta, wanting to help her favorite Uncle bake cookies in the morning, and to give her parents a night alone.

Katniss can feel her heart breaking as she looks at what is left of their house as she holds Violet's hand. She feels a tug where they are joined, and turns to see Peeta picking the three year old up as silent tears run down her little cheeks. Violet reaches for Katniss, pulling her close, too.

When Katniss steps back, Violet is sobbing, and all she can do is say, "I want Mommy? I need Daddy? Unc' Peeta? Where are they?"

Peeta whispers in Violet's ear calming her, while Katniss notices the town people starting to gather. They keep their distance out of respect, but it's the red-headed peace keeper, Darius who approaches them. "I hate to say this, but you can't be here. They took the bodies to the courthouse earlier, and they will be burning down the rest of the house later."

Katniss, who has learned over the years to get what she really wants out of people while they use her for what they want, speaks calmly instead of screaming like she wants to, "I need to see my sister. She isn't just a body."

"They aren't going to let you do that." Darius replies.

This time, she uses what she learned as a victor. "I will be seeing my sister and her husband before they are buried. I'll be damned if you or anyone else will stop me." She steps closer to him, threatening him. "I happen to be very familiar with your General. Do you want me to call him and see what he says?"

Darius's face grows red in frustration. "Damn it Katniss. Don't threaten me. I'll get you in there. You are going to have to give me a little bit. Ok? Is there someone who can watch the little one?" he asks, nodding towards Violet.

Peeta nods. "Dad is at the bakery. I'm coming with Katniss."

Darius sighs. "Fine. Can you meet me at 5:15 at the courthouse? At the back door? I'll have to sneak you two down to the morgue. Don't tell anyone what we are doing."

Katniss and Peeta start in the direction of the bakery, with Peeta still holding Violet. He glances shyly at her and asks, "Do you need to go to your house? We can go there first before the bakery."

"Let's drop off Violet first. When was the last time there were capital officials in the bakery?"

"You mean besides peacekeepers?" he asks. She nods, and he continues, "Never. Dad would have said something."

By now, they are at the front door. Violet looks up, and when she sees the elder Mellark, with a tired smile she says, "There's my Papa." And she wiggles out of Peeta's arms to run to him behind the counter where he sweeps her up into a hug.

Tired blue eyes greet Katniss when she walks into the bakery. Before she can call out a greeting Graham is bringing her in for a hug. She returns it, grateful for even that small comfort. They stay like that for a moment, with Violet dancing around their legs, and Peeta standing guard at the door. Katniss feels her tiredness and her grief, wash over her and a few rebel tears escape, no matter how hard she fights them. She pulls back, and kisses Prim's father in law, who feels like family, on his weathered cheek.

Bram Mellark soon joins the rest of his family in the bakery. He simply opens his arms, and she is glad that while she was away doing the things that Snow made her do, Prim had this family to watch over her. She walks into his arms, returning his hug. Before she has a chance to say anything else, Anna Mellark is coming into the family circle too.

Prim used to joke and say that Anna's favorite was Rye, until she had Violet. Then her universe rotated around her only granddaughter. It's Violet who softened Mrs. Mellark. She has even calmed down and is almost nice to customers. but she says that her sunshine is her granddaughter.

Katniss allows herself to huddle together with them, leaning on what is in a way, her family, too. It's Violet, who wiggles into the middle of them asking, "Mamaw, can I have a cookie?" that brings a ghost of a smile to their faces.

Peeta comes over and pulls Graham to the side while Katniss stays and watches Anna get an old cookie from the day before. After she has her cookie, Violet comes back to her aunt and holds her arms up. Katniss picks her up and gathers her close.

Peeta and Graham come back with matching sad expressions. "Dad said they can take her home with them. Do you want to go on to your house?"

Katniss looks down at the red silk, so out of place and nods, and says to Violet, "Hey, Baby V, I need to go change. Why don't you stay here with Papa and Mamaw?"

"Me, go with you." She says, throwing her little arms around Katniss' neck.

Katniss would love to take her with her and never let her go again. But she knows that she can't. She wants to take her and run far away into the woods, far away from Snow. But for now, she will keep her away from his cameras that she knows is in her house. "But Papa needs you to help him, don't you Papa?" Graham holds out his hands for Violet. Reluctantly, she goes to him and looks at Katniss pouting. "I'll be right back. I'm going to go get your bear that Cinna gave you, ok?"

"Ok, Kitty." Violet says with her little lip still poking out.

Katniss goes to the front door and before she can reach the handle, Peeta beats her to it. She doesn't say anything, but nods at him and goes on out with him following behind her. They walk to the Victor's Village not saying anything until they clear the merchant businesses. Beetee, the victor from three, told her years ago that only the cameras in the merchant quarters worked and they only worked when the power was on.

"Thank you," she says as they walk.

"Violet woke up crying that night. I couldn't get her calmed down and was actually getting ready to take her home. That's when I saw the flames across the alley. Mom came and stayed with her while the rest of us went to see what had happened."

"Did you see them?"

"The peacekeepers had already taken them."

By now, they are walking up the steps to her back door. Katniss reaches for the key that she has hidden in the rafters of the porch and unlocks the door. Before she opens the door, she whispers, "Don't say anything about Prim and Rye, ok?"

"Ok." He whispers back.

He follows her in and she shivers in the air conditioning that has been running since she left two days ago. She sets her bag down on the counter and asks, "Do you want something to drink?"

"Yeah," he says, running his hand through his hair. "That sounds good."

She reaches into the refrigerator, taking out the pitcher of ice water, that she knew Prim had filled for her the last time she was here. The last time she saw and touched and talked to her sister, _before she died. _She watches the pitcher start to shake in her hand, and has to steady it with her other one. She turns around and Peeta is there, taking it from her and setting it on the counter. Then he brings her in for a hug. "You don't want to touch me. I'm still dirty from them—"

"Shhh," he hushes her. "You are home now."


End file.
